Just so...so bad

A Major Disappointment

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Wing Commander (1999): Dir: Chris Roberts / Cast: Freddie Prinze Jr., Saffron Burrows, Matthew Lillard, Tchehy Karyo, Ginny Holder: One of the stupidest contraptions ever put to film. It is one of those fleet movies with commanders, lieutenants, Naval officers, etc. Title refers to the limited resources to being human and undertaking challenges such as flying. Freddie Prinze Jr. stars as a half breed whose father was a Naval officer and his mother was a Pilgrim. His only memory of them is through a cross necklace that he wears for good luck. It obviously doesn't work because if it did then he would be in a different movie. Director Chris Roberts is as bad as the screenwriter is with ideas. I have seen children create better art just by throwing a bowl of cheerios against the wall. I have seen paper airplanes with greater credibility than the air crafts presented here. Prinze Jr. leads the horrible casting as this half wit pilot. Matthew Lillard plays his idiotic best friend. Saffron Burrows plays the obvious romantic tease that has the personality of sheet metal. Tcheky Karyo shows up to yell commands and apparently look mean doing it. Ginny Holder plays a character who dies when the leads screw up. She can consider herself fortunate that she didn't have to subject herself to this crap longer. This film is an insult to the senses it eventually numbs. It is a flimsy Top Gun rip-off with all of the excitement of indigestion. Score: 1 / 10

First of all, no, Wing Commander is not a great film. It has some problems, the most notable being the very underwhelming (to say the least) portrayal of the Kilrathi. However, this is not a terrible film, and if you are a certain type of sci-fi fan, it's not just passable but genuinely enjoyable. Anyone who says that this film is horrible is being a bit more pessimistic than necessary. It may not seem like a serious film, but internally within its own structure, I find it very respectable. For its target audience, it does not totally fail.The visual design, when it works, is very interesting. The opening title sequence, in particular, is simply one of the best that you will find in any such genre film, in my opinion. A truly captivating, beautiful creation. To give another visual example, the ship interiors feel like what deep space battleships would actually be like. That may be just the sort of niche quality that suggests an appeal to video gamers and/or sci-fi enthusiasts, but it ties into this film's atmosphere, which when you factor in the mostly excellent cast and solid script, is fairly realistic feeling.There is also a rather unique, compelling mythology at work in the background of this film's story. It may not be wholly original (I detect some influence from the novel Hyperion, for example) but as far as movies go, this one has a certain quality that sets it apart. On a basic level, yes it appeals to the fascination with being a starfighter pilot in the vein of the first Star Wars film and the Wing Commander video game source material. But there is something more to it, something that is mostly untapped in sci-fi cinema.There is a great group of characters. I do not know how closely all of them tie into the games, but they feel like real people and again the cast is for the most part very good. Tcheky Karyo, Saffron Burrows, David Warner, Jurgen Prochnow. That's some real talent right there. And the presence of Hugh Quarshie can't help but lead me to note that Wing Commander is parsecs better than the Star Wars prequels in every way except for visual effects budget. The trio of fighter pilots consisting of lead Freddie Prinze Jr, Matthew Lillard and Ginny Holder play more into an "attractive teen movie" trope that takes away from the film just a little, but Holder and Lillard especially do a great job of generating some true emotional resonance in the heavy scenes.Problems? The Kilrathi, who should have been the frightening counterpoint to the human characters, mostly provide unseen menace and when they do make the screen, it is one of the biggest letdowns in any film. Also, some of the Rapier (starfighter) graphics are less than stellar. Those and a few other glitches are what kept this film from being solidly respectable, but they don't keep it from being a lot of fun nonetheless.I will say again that this is really one of the most unique-feeling sci- fi films that I have seen, and it fills a surprising gap in the number of similarly-themed movies about starfighter pilots. With a bigger budget and maybe a different lead actor, Wing Commander could have been something serious. As is, in spite of its flaws, it's a real gem of a genre film, and well worth checking out if you focus on the positives. Great cast, good story, interesting graphics, fuel for imagination.

It is so bad, it could not qualify as a cult film. Physics are completely off, then again, only six year old kids were the target audience. WRONG. this movie was made for teens and adults. (based specifically from the popular video game.)Plots and sub plots were directly taken from several movies of the era, likely word for word dialog taken too. Even when taking the plot from other movies, they did not adjust the scenes to reflect these people were in SPACE!1. calling out for a "MEDIC" was a sure sign that character was going to die. 2. "in space no one can hear you scream" apparently this movie director, writer, and anyone else associated with making the film bothered to show the film makes the movie title to "ALIEN"3. costumes right out of the third grade play at your local kids school. not to mention, the people making the costume did not even try!please get the "tralierJunkies" and MovieSins, guys to do a work on this film. even thinking of this movie, i can remember why i know this is about the worst film created. There were points in this movie I actually stood up in the audience and wondered aloud what the F was going on in the movie, and i was only 18. Good lord!

Wing Commander has to be one of the worst video game adapted screenplays to be released of all time, along with Street Fighter. The visual effects very abysmal, the acting and performances were atrocious, and the look of the whole movie is just atrocious. However I did like the performances by Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Saffron Burrows. This movie looks like it was made by somebody who was high off of his butt. What was the director thinking. Of all the people to direct it, it was directed by the guy who created the video game which got very good reviews. If you want to see a good video game adapted screenplay, I would recommend the first Mortal Kombat movie. Not the second one. That one is a total disaster like this movie. Do not bother with Wing Commander one. It is just a waste of time.